


It Was Time

by Ryuki



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen, Not sure if it's unrequited maybe it's not, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, Written before Season 2, overfunctioning Nathalie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 06:08:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18277343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuki/pseuds/Ryuki
Summary: Nathalie's feelings for Gabriel through the years hasn't changed much. All he has to do is ask and she'll get it done.





	1. History

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this waaay before season 2. Forgot all about it! 
> 
> Recently, I went through and changed the placeholder name for Adrien's mom. (I was using Bellamie.)
> 
> So, enjoy!

“Did you want to see that new movie playing downtown?”

“Nathalie, this design portfolio is due on Friday. I can’t waste time at a movie,” sighed Gabriel, briefly removing his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. His light blonde hair was pulled back into a choppy ponytail, but a few strands managed to stray into his face.

“No, no. Of course not. I just thought you could use a break, though.” Nathalie’s shoulders hunched to her ears as she sat, prim and straight back with her hands on her knees. Her gaze flicked to her feet, hoping Gabriel didn’t see the growing blush on her cheeks. She laughed, nervous, and tried to lighten Gabriel’s seriousness, “I’d hate you to strain yourself too much. You might stitch something together crooked or something!”

He shook his head as he went back to the hem of the dress he was working on. With pins dangling from his lips, he muttered, “Don’t be silly. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” Nathalie murmured while fussing with her hands. She knew pressing the issue would only annoy him, but the bags under his eyes were beginning to worry her. The young man stressed to no end, fretting over every button and sequin. The end results were stunning and everyone said so. Gabriel never seemed satisfied, though. He always found something wrong with his designs, even after finalization.

She peeked at the dress he currently flitted around. The green halter bodice was embroidered with golden beads in a body-flattering pattern and cinched at the waist. Then, as the eye trailed further downward, the dress seemed to blossom. Nathalie couldn’t even tell how Gabriel managed to design the skirt, but the end result was brilliant. Tiered layers of fabric seemed to coil around each other, giving the impression all the colors fought and flounced for notice. On closer inspection, each piece of fabric wasn’t merely a solid color, either. Yellow gave way to golden rod; emerald green gave way to jade; bright blue darkened to sapphire.

Though it wasn’t completed – and Gabriel was bound to change some inane details until the deadline – Nathalie could easily see a model strutting it proudly down the catwalk, as was.

A puff of frustration from Gabriel dragged Nathalie from her imagination. “Damn.”

“Do you need help?” She tilted her head to the side, her pigtails bouncing with the action.

“Yes,” Gabriel muttered around his pins as he looked up to Nathalie. She willed her heart to quit beating so hard as he added, “If you could hold this fabric taut while I sew.”

“Sure.” Nathalie chirped and refrained from sighing. The movie already forgotten, Gabriel was immersed in his passion. She climbed down from her seat and padded over to his work area, listening to his instructions. As her friend worked, Nathalie stole sidelong glances at him. His look of concentration, coupled with the stray strands in his face, made tingles coil through her stomach.

 

x x x

 

“Gabriel?” Nathalie grinned, a teasing smile on her lips. The blond jerked his head, as if disturbed from extremely deep thought. She leaned forward at their table, chin in hand, “You look like you’re off in la-la land!”

“I’m sorry, Nathalie. I was just thinking,”

“About?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Gabriel turned his face away quickly, a red flush flaring over his face.

Nathalie raised her eyebrows and leaned closer. She smiled as she pointed into his face. “You’re blushing.”

Gabriel heaved a sigh. “If you must really know, I was thinking about that model.”

Nathalie leaned back in her chair, a coldness gripping at her heart. She shoved away the sudden nausea in her stomach and nonchalantly took a sip of her bubble tea before asking, “The blonde one?”

“Yes. Emilie.” He smiled in a way Nathalie had never seen him smile. “What did you think of her?”

“She seemed really...” She trailed off, stalling. Nathalie struggled for a moment, tempted to deface Emilie’s character. If she turned Gabriel off to the woman, what harm could it do? Before Nathalie could decide how to end her sentence, though, Gabriel’s phone buzzed across the tabletop.

Almost instantly, he snatched at it.

“It’s her!” A smile shot across his lips before he suddenly realized himself. Gabriel raised his fist to his lips and coughed, red embarrassment painting his cheeks.

Soft heat, tinged with coldness, stabbed through Nathalie’s stomach. She already knew what this meant. As Gabriel clicked away on his phone, though, the young woman couldn’t bring herself to answer his previous question. Instead, her gaze fell to her bubble tea, where she pushed the spheres around with her straw.

 

x x x

 

“I’m sure she has a reason for canceling your date.”

Gabriel only grunted in reply.

“Are you all right, Gabriel?”

This time, only silence answered Nathalie.

 

x x x

 

Rain pattered down on the roof of the Agreste mansion. It had been storming for the better part of the week, like an emotional manifestation of everyone inside the home. Even now, in the wee hours of the morning, Nathalie could feel everyone’s misery like a throbbing boil. It pained her. She wished she could lance the wretched feeling and be done with it.

But she hadn’t lost a lover, as Gabriel had, or a mother, as Adrien had.

A pang of guilt twinged through her. She should be helping them heal, not focusing on making it move quicker for her benefit.

As she strolled down the hall, having nipped down to the kitchen for a snack after missing dinner, Nathalie couldn’t help but feel bitter. Why couldn’t she wish for the dread to scab over quickly? She – and maybe Gorilla – were the ones who’d be consoling the Agrestes.

Speaking of consoling… Her nose twitched. An acrid scent raked across her sense of smell. She immediately knew what it was.

Gabriel was drinking. Again.

Quietly, Nathalie tiptoed to his office, using only the light of the moon peering through the multitudes of windows to guide her. Eventually, the light peeking out from under his door guided her.

On the other side of the door, somber music played from his stereo system, punctuated by the clink of a glass being filled by a decanter. Nathalie gently rapped on the door, “Gabriel, are you okay in there?”

There was a brief second of hesitation. She could feel him debate on letting her in or not. Then, his footfalls echoed gently across the floor and the doorknob rattled. She expected him to crack the door open a sliver, to grumble that he was fine and shut it again with a resolute lock. Instead, the door swung open, revealing a rather rumpled Gabriel.

Redness rimmed his eyes, from crying or alcohol. Stubble dotted his jaw. His hair, usually slicked back without a strand out of place, was unkempt and ruffled. Even his nightwear – usually satin pajamas coupled with a luxurious robe – were traded down for a plain tank top and sweat pants. Nathalie didn’t even know Gabriel still _owned_ sweatpants.

He made a quick motion for her to enter, before turning away. He all but collapsed on the black couch, picking up a glass filled with amber liquid.

“How did this happen?” The man groaned. He took another swig from an old-fashioned glass, before running a hand through his mussed hair, “How could I let this happen?”

“It wasn’t your fault, Gabriel.” Nathalie stood, stiff and awkward, by the couch. She cast a desperate glance toward the door.

“No, no. It’s completely my fault.” He heaved a sigh, setting the glass down with a resounding clack. “I should have kept her safe. It was my duty to keep her safe.”

Nathalie sighed, drawn to her friend and employer by some ache in her heart. Skirting around the back of the couch, she took a seat beside him. She tried to find the words to ease his self-deprecating. The woman could only manage a soft “Gabriel...”

“Don’t, Nathalie.”

She pressed her lips tightly together, displeased with being ordered into silence. Exhaustion bit at the back of her mind, but concern for her friend kept her glued to the couch. Only Gabriel’s weight shifting next to her brought Nathalie out of her reverie.

Shock tore up her nerves as the man pressed his face into the crook of her shoulder. The scent of bourbon thick around him. Nathalie swallowed, noting droplets splashing over her neck.

“It was my job,” the man sobbed, arms coming around the woman. His fingers clenched into the fabric of her clothes. “I failed.”

All Nathalie could do was embrace the man back, trying to rub ease into his tense shoulders. For the first time since Emilie’s disappearance – since Nathalie even knew him – the man shook with sobs. A look of consternation settled on her features, tears nipping at the corner of her eyes.

 

x x x

 

Nathalie stared at the door with a coldness clawing at her guts. She had never been to this floor of Gabriel’s business before. It had been under construction for as long as Nathalie could remember. She’d been too busy to really care, assuming it was a private haven for Gabriel despite its unfinished state. For some reason, a heaviness clung to the air. Nathalie pushed through the doorway, clutching the peacock pin in hand.

Inside, the room was dark, except for a shaft of light from a large, circular window. As she wandered closer into the darkened room, she realized the window was broken just as her shoes crunched over broken shards. Her eyes darted to the floor, staring at the glass. What in the world was going on?

“Nathalie, run!”

Her head snapped up, catching sight of her blond charge – and his raven-haired classmate, Marinette – near the edge of the circle of light. Adrien struggled against the vice-like hold of some behemoth of an akumatized victim Nathalie’s thoughts hiccuped and stumbled. She couldn’t catch her bearings; her fingers clasped tighter to the peacock pin in her hand.

A deep, baritone laugh rang out and the door behind her slammed shut. Nathalie jumped, spinning on her heel as a flurry of whiteness – butterflies, she realized – spiraled toward the ceiling. Her heart slammed, the pulse throbbing painfully as adrenaline gave her a boost. She glared toward the source of laughter.

Hawkmoth swaggered out from the shadows, a smirk twisted on his lips. He advanced on her, his posture the picture of confidence. Almost instantly, familiarity tickled at her synapses, but it took Nathalie a split second to register the realization.

“Gabriel?"


	2. Not The Time

“Gabriel?” Nathalie gaped, staring at the super-villain with wide eyes. Her eyes flickered from the man in purple to Adrien and Marinette, both restrained by monsters. Something in her stirred and cracked.

“Ah, Nathalie,” Hawkmoth threw his arms out to the sides, as if to give the woman a hug. “You’re just in time!” 

“Run!” Adrien plead, desperation in his eyes. “Keep the peacock miraculous away from him! Please, Nathalie, listen to me!” 

Beside him, Marinette screamed, “Don’t let him have it!” 

Nathalie dragged her eyes back to the villain, to Gabriel. She couldn’t bring herself to back away from the man, despite the teenagers’ pleas. “For what?” 

“To watch me come into complete power.” He thrust his fist out to her and, with hesitation, Nathalie stepped closer. Finger by finger, he revealed his prizes: Ladybug’s earrings and Cat Noir’s ring. Nathalie stared, her brain sputtering as her eyes glanced from his palm to the children. Adrien and his classmate were the crime-fighting super duo… The ones who kept Paris safe. 

And her boss, the man she loved, was… Nathalie’s heart shuddered as she turned her gaze back to Gabriel.

The man grinned down at her, his eyes wild and his smile broad. Discomfort prickled through Nathalie. Never had such a contorted look of delight crossed Gabriel’s face. Deep inside her chest, a dark heat began to burn. Her hands clenched into fists. The back of her eyes burned with tears.

Confusion dotted Hawkmoth’s happiness. His fingers curled protectively around the earrings and ring as he drew his fist back to his body. “What is this negative energy, Nathalie? I thought my most loyal assistant could be trusted.” 

A bitter laugh erupted from the woman. Of course, he could sense her negativity when he was like this. The tears crept closer to the edge of her eyes, wobbling on her very lashes. Hastily, she wiped them away before they could fall. She turned her face toward him, again, and a thin smile curled at the corners of her lips. “Even with all his power, you’re utterly oblivious, Gabriel.”

Stunned silence radiated from the man. Then his hand tightened around his cane and his lips twisted from their wild smile to a deep frown. “What are you talking about?” 

“I’ve been in love with you for almost 30 years now.” 

Resounding silence. 

“What.” It was a statement more than a question. Disbelief and calculation danced across Hawkmoth’s face. 

“You heard me.” Nathalie held her head higher. The first step was taken. Nearly thirty years of stumbling around the issue and there was no going back now. She was an adult. She could do this. “I love you, Gabriel Agreste.” 

Hawkmoth finally realized what that meant for him. He jutted out his hand again with a loud demand, “Then give me the peacock miraculous!” 

From the shadows, Adrien struggled against the akuma’s restraint as he screamed, “No, Nathalie!” 

“Please, Nathalie, don’t do it!” Marinette joined Adrien in their struggles. 

The woman spared the teenagers a fleeting look. They looked so small compared to the behemoth that held them in place. Even if she wanted to do something, there was little she could accomplish without some help. Nathalie’s eyes flickered back to Hawkmoth’s face. He grinned down at her. She hung her head, holding out her clenched hand, “Yes, sir.” 

“That’s my dear Nathalie.” Hawkmoth chuckled as he held out his right hand. Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s miraculous laid in the palm of his hand, glinting in the light from the broken window. Nathalie gently placed her closed fist into his palm. A small part of her relished in the heat of his hand. When she didn’t release the peacock pin, Hawkmoth grew impatient, “Give it to me, Nathalie.”

Her hand snapped open, empty. She reached for his wrist, wrenching it to her right, sending the earrings and ring clattering to the floor. Hawkmoth yowled in pain and rage as Nathalie dove for the floor. Whoops and hollers echoed from Adrien and Marinette.

A whack echoed through the room and pain slammed against Nathalie’s back. As the air escaped her lungs, she realized Hawkmoth had slammed his cane into her. She collapsed onto the floor, lungs burning. He stumbled to the floor, clamoring for his fallen prizes. 

“No, no, no!” He couldn’t find one of the earrings and the ring. Rage boiled through Hawkmoth as he spun to Nathalie. By now, she had gotten to her feet, chest rising and falling with angered breaths. Pinned to her lapel was the missing earrings and the ring…

Nathalie slipped the ring onto her middle finger, her blue eyes never leaving Hawkmoth’s face.

“No!” Hawkmoth charged toward the woman just as a green flare of energy consumed her.

When the green energy dissipated, Nathalie stood, adorned in a body hugging cat suit and green goggles. Her hair became mussed with the red overtaking a larger portion of her bangs. Grey belts slung across her chest, strapping into place two black shoulder pads. To her back, the trademark staff sat holstered to her back. A belt coiled around her hips, attached to the inexplicably flickering strap that acted as her tail. Nathalie flexed her clawed fingers, the leather of the gloves squeaking in the dead silence. 

Her green-tinged gaze fell on Hawkmoth, his mouth agape and fist clenched around the peacock miraculous. Rage hovered around him.

Nathalie reached behind her, grabbing the staff. Hawkmoth clenched at his cane, mimicking her battle-ready pose. The woman careened across the distance between them, staff meeting cane. Reverberations shot down her arms. The villain glared down at her, lips contorted into a heinous scowl. “Don’t do this, Nathalie.” 

“Too late.” She growled, shoving him back. He stumbled under the force of her push. Nathalie fell down into a crouch, swiping the cane at his calves. The ‘thwack’ of impact echoed in the deathly silent room. Gabriel yelped, slamming to his back. The peacock miraculous skittered across the floor. She didn’t give him a chance to recover, didn’t give him a chance to call upon his akuma for help. She was on him, battle staff pressed up against his throat and other arm retracted, claws poised to slam into his chest.

He leered up at her, one eye clenched shut and an infuriating sneer on his lips. “What are you waiting for?”

Nathalie glared down at the man, huffing. Destruction danced in her thoughts. She’d seen Chat Noir – Adrien – use the Cataclysm before. Something in her mind coaxed her to use it on her friend, her employer, the man who held her heart for so long. Her eyes darted over his masked face, his clothes, lingering on the butterfly brooch.

“Do it!” He bellowed. Nathalie clenched her eyes shut, slamming her hand down toward him. Faintly, Nathalie heard Marinette scream and heard Adrien yell.

Her claws didn’t pierce his chest. They swiped the brooch, tearing it from Hawkmoth’s purple lapels. The rip of the cloth sounded like a record scratch as the butterfly clattered away. Nathalie glared down as Gabriel’s transformation melted away. The man stared up at her, eyes wide with confusion and lack of understanding.

Marinette and Adrien’s footfalls echoed in the large room, startling the white butterflies into flight as they neared Nathalie and Gabriel.

Xxx

Hands restrained and red-eye, burbling on about reviving his dead wife – for if she had been alive, she would have returned by now – Gabriel Agreste looked pathetic. He hunched on a couch, ankles tethered together. Nathalie stood guard beside him, no longer in Chat Noir mode. She ignored his attempts at discussion, his pleas to be let go while Chat Noir and Ladybug discussed what to do with him. 

As expected, the teenagers were having a strained, heated conversation. Considering one of them may very well lose a father.

Gabriel had fallen silent for some time. His eyes stared off into the distance. Finally, he brought his gaze to Nathalie, a quiet question on his lips, “Did you make Bella-” 

“Don’t be daft.” Nathalie turned suddenly, an agitated gaze flickering to the broken man. “I loved her like everyone else did. And she made you happy. Who was I to take that away?” 

Confusion creased Gabriel’s brow. “Then why stay?” 

The tension in Nathalie’s shoulders eased a little. She pursed her lips, tearing her gaze from the man, “Because you asked.” 

“What?” 

Nathalie closed her eyes, fighting back more tears. “I planned to quit just after your engagement and you both asked me to help with the wedding.”

And what an affair that matrimony had been. The designer clothes, produced by Gabriel after months of planning. The flowers, the food, the guest list. Neither Gabriel or Emilie had the energy or time to devote to wedding planning. However, neither had thought to get a planner with loyal, trusty Nathalie there.

“Then I was going to take my leave a year later, and she found out she was expecting. You both were so excited, but had no clue what you were doing.” Nathalie laughed bitterly, remembering the days Emilie and Gabriel had spent, sloppily piecing together a life for a baby. Nathalie didn’t know how long she spent putting plastic covers on electrical outlets, finding the proper gates for the home, and researching on basic baby safety. “She outright asked me to stay; you were just so busy.” 

An added dose of shame pulled at Gabriel’s features.

“Then I was going to go after Adrien was born, but you both still struggled with him. She was getting back into modeling and you were busy, as usual.” Her voice dipped into something akin to distaste. With a wrinkled nose, it was obvious what Nathalie’s thoughts stood on Gabriel’s lack of balance between work and family. “A newborn isn’t easy to take care of and heaven knew Emilie couldn’t do it alone. So, I took on the dual role of governess. She, at least, made time for Adrien.” 

Nathalie sighed, shaking brief memories of those days away. Blonde Emilie, with her smiles and giggles, fawning over infant Adrien. As happy and warm as those moments made Nathalie feel, she wanted Gabriel to understand her frustration.

“Then… she disappeared.” Tears bit at Nathalie’s eyes. Adrien bawled for a long time and Gabriel ignored it, throwing himself into work. She had been the one to stay up with the boy, trying to keep professional distance while easing those tears. “I knew I couldn’t leave you and Adrien in that state, so I gave up on resignation.” 

Silence filled the room. Pure shame radiated off Gabriel as he hunched his shoulders and stared at the floor. His voice cracked as he mumbled, “I’m sorry.” 

She shrugged, noncommittally. “I did it out of love.” 

“For me.” 

“For Emilie, Adrien, and…” She paused. Did she still feel the same way for him? Deep in her heart, despite the years of frustration and annoyance and obliviousness, the fire still burned. Small, but warm. “And, yes, you.”

A particularly loud – and incredulous – yell blossomed from the other room. Nathalie and Gabriel glanced toward the door, as one. 

“When I’m gone,” Gabriel said, still staring at the door, “Will you take care of Adrien?” 

“I’ve been doing that since he was born,” she replied, a bite to her soft tone.

Silence again. Gabriel’s eyes had fallen to the floor, an aura of shame shrouding him. Nathalie fought the decades old habit of comforting him. The man reaped what he sowed. Despite the fondness, the love, she harbored for him, the man had sins he had to pay for.

“Nathalie.” His voice again. She cast a glance his direction, her arms crossed while trying to maintain nonchalance. Gabriel’s expression nearly broke her facade. Something glinted in his eyes. A sense of ruefulness and new understanding. “I should have realized your feelings soon-”

He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. The door across the room opened, revealing a very strained looking Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Nathalie sighed, closing her eyes against Gabriel’s apologetic expression. “Now’s not the time, Gabriel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the beginning of the show, I felt there was a lot of potential for Nathalie to have feelings for Gabriel. However, due to their work relationship, it seemed if there were feelings, there'd be a lot of overfunctioning on Nathalie's part. I guess I just wanted to write her coming to terms with the feelings and Gabriel's presumed obliviousness. (These two really mirror Adrien and Marinette, on some level. lol)
> 
> So, that's all I have. I didn't re-read it, for the most part, and I'm eager to see what happens to Nathalie and Gabriel in the show. Now that we've learned some fascinating things about them.


End file.
